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Spain Holds 121 in Its Biggest Swoop Against Child Porn

DPA news agency (kjb)October 1, 2008

Spanish police have detained 121 people in their biggest swoop so far against child pornography on the internet, police said. Ninety-six other people were also indicted.

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Handcuffs and Internet symbols
The Internet pornography ring linked 75 countries

Two of the detainees made their own material, using two children belonging to their family circles, police said Wednesday, Oct. 1.

More than 800 police participated in the operation, seizing millions of files of videos and photographs, including some material described as hard-core.

The investigation was launched in July 2007 in cooperation with Brazilian police. It led to the discovery of a network of paedophiles exchanging material over the Internet in 75 countries.

Spanish police identified 250 addresses where child pornography was downloaded and distributed. Police searched 210 addresses in 42 provinces.

The suspects included people of different professions, including pilots, taxi drivers, janitors and bank clerks. They ranged from minors to retired people.

Spanish police have detained more than 1,200 people on charges related to child pornography over the past five years.